Bowling ball retarding device



Aug. 16, 1960 D. E. PLACE BOWLING BALL RETARDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed ma 19, 1958 .h unu INVENTOR DONALD E. PLACE 4 Ma ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1960 D. E. PLACE BOWLING BALL RETARDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 19, 1958 INVENTOR DONALD El PLACE BY 2/ 7 M ATTORNEY United States BOWLING BALL RETARDING DEVICE Filed May 19, 1958, Ser. No. 736,069

16 Claims. (Cl. 273-47) This invention relates to bowling apparatus and more particularly to improvements in bowling ball retarding devices operative to reduce the momentum of bowling balls; While not limited thereto, the invention is advantageously employed in connection with bowling ball checks for retarding balls moving along the return runway of a bowling alley.

In ball checks heretofore generally available, problems were presented by a slowly moving ball which was unable to operate the check and move on to its final rest position and by a rapidly moving ball which was not sufficiently retarded by the check with the result that such ball crashed into other balls resting in the storage rack causing possible damage to both balls and bowlers.

The present invention is characterized by the provision of a bowling ball retarding device which is free acting and operative to dissipate all kinetic energy of balls retarded, regardless of the momentum thereof.

In one embodiment, the invention consists of a ball check having a check-arm supporting a pivotally mounted ball engaging element. The check-arm is provided with a downwardly projecting counterweighted extension on which is slidably mounted a supporting block. Operatively associated with this supporting block is a roller adapted to roll on a track above which is supported a pivoted cam gate. When the check-arm is moved downwardly, as by engagement with a moving bowling ball, the roller is moved along the cam gate causing the supoprtin-g block to engage a stationary stop. This prevents further downward movement of the check-arm dissipating all or substantially all the kinetic energy in the moving ball. When this occurs, the pressure between the block and the stop is relieved, permitting the block .to slide downwardly on the lower extension of the check-arm until the roller is adjacent the top of the track and the block can swing clear of the stop. The ball thus retarded can then roll slowly toward the storage rack, depressing the check-arm out of its path of travel. After the ball has passed the ball check, a counterweight on the lower extension of the check-arm returns the arm to operative position to engage the next ball to be retarded.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel ball check for use with a bowling alley ball return.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel bowling ball check for a ball return runway where in a movable block is operative to stop the forward travel of rolling balls, and especially rapidly rolling balls.

The invention is further characterized by the provision of a novel free acting bowling ball check which is operarive under all conditions of operation despite the variations in the weight of balls whose movement is checked there- 'by.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bowling, ball cam-controlled check wherein the ball check is free acting for all balls checked thereby, regardless of their rolling speed along the return runway of a bowling alley.

The invention is further characterized by the provision atent ice of a bowling ball retarding device having a positively operative system to completely dissipate the kinetic energy of a ball striking its ball check arm.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be described fully herein.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the ball check shown in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the ball check shown in Figure 3. p

The ball check made in accordance with the invention may be used on any type of bowling alley ball return as long as it can be mounted so that its operative or ball checking member is located in the path of travel of a ball rolling onto the ball delivery section of a ball return on which it is installed.

In theform of invention illustrated herein, the ball check is designated generally 10. It comprises an upright support bracket 12 formed from two spaced channel members 14, the lower ends of which are suitably mounted on the approach end of a bowling alley. The upper ends of member 14 are suitably attached to and support the ball return rails of runway R. Members 14 likewise support a transverse shaft 16. The ends of shaft 16 are seated in slots 18 in members 14, and are held secured therein as by suitable machine screws 20.

Rotatably mounted on stationary shaft 16 is a sleeve 22. Bushing 24, preferably constructed of resilient material such as, rubber, is secured about sleeve 22. A second sleeve 26 is fixed about bushing 24 to form a resilient mount for the lower extremities of arms 30 as shown in Figure 2. Arms 30 are thus secured to and rotate about shaft 16. The upper free ends of arms 30 carry a pivotally mounted roller 32. Roller 32 is freely rotatably mounted and preferably is provided with a shock absorbing surface or tire, such as a rubber tire, or it may be formed of rubber. This construction prevents damage to a ball when it strikes roller 32 and also tends to reduce shock in the ball when it strikes roller 32 and also tends to reduce shock in the ball check 10 when roller 32 is hit by a ball. Bushing 24 likewise operates to absorb any impact from a ball. The pivotal mounting for roller 32 insures that when it is struck by a ball, the ball will merely cause roller 32 to rotate and not tend to climb on it, as it might do if roller 32 were stationary.

Attached to and projecting rearwardly from arms 30 is a shroud 34. Shroud 34 is provided with a downwardly curved surface and acts to prevent possible injury to a player if his hand were in the path of movement of arms 30 when they are depressed by a moving ball.

Referring to Figure 2, the upper ends of S-shaped members 36 are secured to and rotate with opposite sides of sleeve 22. Extension 40 of counterweight 38 is secured by stud 42 between the lower ends of members 36. counterweight 38 functions normally to bias members 36 to a position of test against bumper 37. In the illustrated embodiment bumper 37 is of tubular construction and covered with a resilient material such as rubber and mounted on shaft39 secured transversely in channel members 14. Block 44 is slidably mounted on'thelower ends of members 36. It will be understood that by protruding through slots in the lower ends of members 36, stud 42 which secures counterweight 38 in operative position on members 36 also operates to limit the downward travel of block 44 on members 36. Thus members 36 form -a generally inverted fork-like configuration with block 44 slidably mounted on the lower extension of the fork.

Plates 46 and 48 are secured, as by bolting, to the inner faces of channel members 14 and extend outwardly therefrom as shown in Figure 1. U-shaped brackets 50 and 52 are secured respectively to plates 46 and 48, as shown in Figure 2. Brackets 50 and 52 are in turn each provided -with a stop 54 and a track 56. Rollers 58 and 60 mounted on each side of block 44 are adapted to ride on tracks 56 and maintain block 44 in the position shown in Figure 2 when arm 30 is in ball-engaging position between rails R.

Brackets 50 and 52 are also each provided with a dis 62 pivotally mounted on its respective bracket by a pin 64. Each disk 62 is provided on its inner face with an inclined cam track 66 which is normally urged into rest position adjacent each track 56- by a spring 68 as shown in Figure 2. One end of spring 68 is fixed to an extension 65 of pin 64 and its other end is anchored to stud 6'9 secured to its associated track 56.

In operation when a rapidly moving ball B on rails --R, moving in the direction of arrow A in Figure 1, engages roller 32 on arms 30, arms 30 are moved downwardly in the direction of arrow D in Figure 1. Since arms 30 are fixed to sleeve 26 which in turn is secured to sleeve 22 on shaft 16 through bushing 24, this movement of arms 30 operates to rotate sleeve 22 about shaft 16 in the direction of arrow D.

Members 36, fixed to sleeve 22 are likewise rotated in the direction of arrow D. The movement of members 36 operates to move the entire fork-like construction including counterweight 38 and block 44, described here inabove, toward the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. As block 44 is moved theretoward, rollers 58 and 60 mounted on block 44 ride along tracks 56 until they encounter cam tracks 66 of disks 62. Rollers 58 and 60 will then ride on cam tracks 66 thereby raising block 44 on the lower ends of members 36. Rollers 58 and 60 continue to raise block 44 until they reach the limit of their travel on cam tracks 66.

It will be understood that when ball B is moving rapidly along rails R, the operation of ball check is so rapid that a high inertial force is imparted to block 44 such that block 44 will remain in an elevated position on members 36 even though rollers 58 and 60 are no longer in contact with cam track 66. In this elevated position of block 44, it front face edges 43 will engage the projecting portions 53 of stops 54, halting further down ward movement of arms 30 until ball B has been stopped and all or substantially all of its kinetic energy is dissipated. When this occurs, block 44 no longer held in engagement with stops 54, gravitates downwardly on the lower ends of members 36 until rollers 58 and 60 again contact tracks 56, and block 44 is clear of stops 54. The slope of rails R then furnishes sufiicient gravitational impetus to ball B to further depress arms 30 to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. It will be understood that when rollers 58 and 60 reach their limit of travel on tracks 56, as arms 30 are moved toward the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, the bottom face 45 of block 44 rests on the portions of stud .42 extending through members 36. With arms 30 in position with members 36, rollers 58 and 60 again contact and ride on tracks 56. When rollers 58 and 60 engage the under faces of their respective cam tracks 66, they pivot their associated disks 62 about their connections on pins 64, moving cam tracks 66 upwardly away from tracks 56 and allowing block 44 to return unhampered to its original position. When rollers 58 and 60 have passed out of engagement with the underfaces of cam tracks 66, springs 68 return disks 62 and-cam -4 tracks 66 to their rest positions for the next ball engagement by arms 30, as shown in broken lines in Figure 1.

If ball B is moving slowly along rails R, with a minimum of kinetic energy when rollers 58 and 60 reach their limit of travel on cam tracks 66, there will be little or no inertial force imparted to block 44. Thus block 44 will immediately gravitate downwardly members 36 permitting the ball check 10 to assume the position shown in broken lines in Figure l and allowing ball B to pass onto the storage sections S. Thus, ball check 11) is freely operative to properly check a rapidly moving bowling ball but likewise can be operated by a slowly moving one, without regard to the size or weight of the ball checked.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, ball check comprises four upright support brackets 112, the front and rear support brackets 1 12 tied together by longitudinal support members 114 and 116. The lower ends of brackets 112 are suitably mounted on the approach end of a bowling alley. The upper ends of brackets 112 are suitably attached to and support the ball return rails of runway r and storage section s. I

Members 114 support a transverse shaft 118, the ends of which extend through members 1-14. Shaft 118 is suitably secured in position by collars 124. Sleeve 122 is rotatably mounted on shaft 118 between collars 124. The outer surface of sleeve 122 is provided with a suitable lug 126 as shown best in Figure 4. Lug 126 may be 'formed as shown; namely integrally with sleeve 122, or may be a separate member secured, as by welding, to sleeve 122. Lug 126 is provided with a central aperture to receive the lower extension 128 of arm 130 as shown in Figure 4. Pin secures extension 128 in lug 126 such that arm rotates with sleeve 122 about shaft 118.

The upper free end of arm 130 carries a pivotally mounted roller v132. Roller 132 is freely rotatably mounted and preferably is provided with a shock absorbing surface or tire, such as a rubber tire or it may be formed of rubber. Attached to and projecting rearwardly from arm 130* is a shroud 134, provided to prevent possible injury to a player.

Block 136 is slidably' mounted on arm 130 below shroud 134. Spring 138 encircles arm 130, with one end fastened to lug 1-26 and its other end secured to block v136, thus normally maintaining block 136 in operative position on arm 130 as shown in Figure 3. Block 136 is provided at each side with a roller 140 adapted to roll on its associated inclined track 142 which is suitably secured to the inner face of each member 116 as shown in Figure 4. Stops 144 are mounted on brackets 145 secured to each of the rear brackets 112 at the inner faces of members 116. (Figure 3.)

An elongated rod 146 is fixed to the outer surface of sleeve 122 as shown in Figures 3 and 4. It will be understood that rod 146 is preferably fixed at an oblique angle from arm 130 to reduce the overall height of ball check 110. A counterweight 148 isadjustably mounted on rod 146 and operates normally to maintain arm 130 and roller 13 2 in ball engaging position between ra-ils r as shown in solid lines in Figure 3.

In operation, when a ball B on rails r moving in the direction of arrow a in Figure 3 engages roller 132 on arm 130, arm 130 is moved downwardly in the direction of arrow at in Figure 3.- Since arm 130 is fixed to sleeve 122 which in turn.- is rotatably mounted on shaft 118, this movement of arm 130 operates to rotate sleeve 122 about shaft 1118 in the direction of arrow at.

As arm 130 is moved downwardly by ball B, rollers 140 contact and ride on their associated inclined tracks 142. Since tracks 142 are inclined upwardly as shown in Figure 3, when roller 140 rides thereon, block 136 is moved upwardly on arm 130, extending spring 138.

If ball B is moving rapidly along rails r, the operation of ball check 110 is so rapid that a high inertial force is imparted to block 136 such that block 136 will remain in an extended position on arm 130, even though rollers 140 are moved out of contact with tracks 14-2. In this extended position, the front face 137 of block 136 will engage stops 144- halting further downward movement of arm 130 in position I shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 until ball B has been stopped and all or substantially all of its kinetic energy has been dissipated. When this occurs, block 136, no longer held in engagement with stops 144, is returned to its former position on am 130 by spring 138, clear of stops 144. The slope of rails r then furnishes sufiicient gravitational impetus to ball B to further depress arm 13%) to position II shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. B can freely pass onto the storage section s of the return track.

After ball B has passed over arm 130 counterweight 148 operates to return arm 130 and its associated mechanism to ball-engaging position for the next ball returned along rail r.

As block 136 is returned to its original position by arm 130, rollers 140 contact the under faces of tracks 142. Block 136 is thereby urged downwardly on arm 130 against the action of spring 1138. However, as arm 13% approaches its ball-engaging position, rollers 140 are moved out of contact with the under faces of tracks 14?. and block 136 is returned by spring 138 to its operative position on arm 130 to await the next ball engagement by arm 130.

If ball B is moving slowly along rails r with a minimum of kinetic energy when rollers 140 reach their limit of travel on tracks 142, there will be little or no inertial force imparted to block 136. In such case, block 136 will be immediately returned to its former, non-extended position on arm 130 by spring 138. This permits arm 130 to proceed from ball engaging position to position II, bypassing position I and allowing the slowly moving ball B to pass onto storage sections .9. Thus ball check 110 is freely operative to properly check a rapidly moving bowling ball and likewise can be operated by a slowly moving one, without regard to the size or weight of the ball checked.

What I claim is:

1. A ball retarding device for a bowling alley ball return runway comprising a ball check-arm located in position to be engaged by a ball rolling along said run way, a ball engaging device carried by one end of said arm, means pivotally supporting said arm, a counterweight on a portion of said arm remote from said ball engaging device for normally biasing said arm into ball-engaging position, a member slidably mounted on said arm, means normally maintaining said member in a pre-determined operating position on said arm, means for moving said member on said arm when said ball engaging device is contacted by a ball on said runway pivoting said arm, stopmeans for engaging said member in said moved position whereby said arm and said ball-engaging device are maintained in position in the path of travel of said ball.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 including means for disengaging said member from said stop means to permit said ball to move said arm and said ball-engaging device out of its path of travel.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said last-named means is operative only when ball has dissipated substantially all its kinetic energy.

4. A ball return check device for checking the momentum of balls rolling along a bowling alley ball return runway comprising a ball check arm disposed in position to be engaged by a rolling ball, a support for said arm, a shaft mounted in said support, means on said shaft pivotally mounting said arm, a ball engaging member on the upper end of said arm, a counterweight adjacent the lower end of said arm, and operative to maintain said bn .said arm, means normally maintaining said block in With arm 130 in this position ball' a pre-determined operating position on said arm, means for moving said block upwardly to an elevated position on said arm when said ball engaging member is contacted by a ball on said runway pivoting said ar-m about said shaft, stop means for engaging said block in said elevated position whereby said arm and ballengaging member are maintained in ball checking position in the path of travel of said ball.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said block is adapted to engage said stop means only when said arm is moved downwardly by a rapidly moving ball on said runway.

6. The invention as defined in claim 4 including means for disengaging said elevatedblock from said stop means to permit said ball to move said am and ball-engaging member out of its path of travel.

7. A ball return check device for checking the momentum of balls rolling along a bowling alley ball return runway comprising a ball check arm disposed in position to be engaged by a rolling ball, a support for said arm, a shaft mounted in said support, a rotatable sleeve on said shaft mounting said arm, a ball-engaging member on the upper end of said arm, a counterweight adjacent the lower end of said am operative to maintain said arm in ball-engaging position, a block slidably mounted on said arm, means normally maintaining said block in operative position on said am, rollers on said block, inclined tracks on said support adapted to engage said rollers, the inclination of said tracks being operative to move said rollers and said block upwardly on said arm when said ball engaging member is contacted by a ball on said runway pivoting said arm about said shaft, stop means for engaging said block in raised position whereby sa d arm and ball-engaging member are maintained in position in the path of travel of said ball, said block being adapted to engage said stop means only when said arrn is moved downwardly by a rapidly moving ball on said runway, and means for disengaging said elevated block fro-m said stop means when said ball has dissipated substantially all its kinetic energy to perimt said ball to move said arm and ball-engaging member out of its path of travel, whereby said ball may roll along said runway to a point of rest.

8. A ball retarding device for a bowling alley ball return runway comprising a ball check-arm located in position to be engaged by a ball rolling along said runway, a ball engaging device carried by one end of sald arm, a shaft, a rotatable sleeve on said shaft supporting the other end of said arm, an extension mounted on said sleeve for movement with said arm, a counterweight on said extension normally biasing said arm into ball engaging position, a member slidably mounted on said extension, means normally maintaining said member on position on said extension, cam means for moving said member on said extension when said ball-engaging device is contacted by a ball on said runway pivoting said arm and said extension about said shaft, stop means for engaging said member in said moved position whereby said :arm and ball-engaging device are maintained in position in the path of travel of said ball and means for disengaging said member from said stop means to permit said ball to move said arm and said ball-engaging device out of its path of travel.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said slidable member is adapted to be engaged by said stop means when said arm is moved downwardly by a rapidly moving ball on said runway, said stop means being operative to maintain said arm in position in the path of travel of said ball until substantially all kinetic energy in said ball has been dissipated.

10. A ball return check device for checking the momenturn of balls rolling along a bowling alley ball return runway comprising a ball check arm disposed in position to be engaged by a rolling ball, a support for said arm, a shaft mounted in said support, means on said shaft mount ing said arm for rotation about said shaft, a ball engaging device on the free end of said arm, a bifurcate member mounted on said arm-mounting means for movement with said arm, a counterweight on said member normally biasing said arm into ball engaging position, a block slidably mounted on said member, means normally maintaining said block in position on said member, rollers on said block, tracks on said support adapted to engage said rollers, guides mounted on said support, extensions on said guides normally maintained adjacent said tracks and upwardly inclined therefrom, said extensions being operative to move said rollers and said block upwardly on said bifurcate member as said rollers are moved along said track when said ball-engaging device is contacted by a ball on said runway, stop means for engaging said block in said raised position whereby said arm and ballengaging device are maintained in position in the path of travel of said ball, and means disengaging said elevated block from said stop means when said ball has dissipated substantially all its kinetic energy to permit said ball to move said arm and ball-engaging device out of its path of travel.

11. The invention as defined in claim 10 including mounting said guides for rotational movement on said support whereby said extensions thereof are moved by said rollers out of their path of travel when said counterweight returns said bifurcate member and said arm to their operative ball-checking position.

12. The invention as defined in claim 10 wherein said arm-mounting means includes a first sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, a resilient member mounted on said first sleeve, and a second sleeve secured about said resilient member and supporting the lower extremities of said arm, said resilient member being adapted to absorb the impact from said arm when said arm is engaged by a moving ball on said runway.

13. A ball retarding device for a bowling alley ball return runway comprising a ball check-arm located in position to be engaged by a ball rolling along said runway, a ball engaging device carried by one end of said arm, a shaft, means on said shaft supporting the other end of said arm for rotation about said shaft, an extension mounted on said last-named means for movement with said arm, a counterweight on said extension normally biasing said arm into ball engaging position, a member slidably mounted on said arm, means normally maintaining said member in position on said arm, cam means for moving said member on said arm when said ball-engaging device is contacted by a ball on said runway pivoting said arm and said extension about said shaft, stop means for engaging said member in said moved position whereby said arm and ball-engaging device are maintained in position in the path of travel of said ball and means for disengaging said member from said stop means to permit said ball to move said arm and said ball-engaging device out of its path of travel.

14. The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein said slidable member is adapted to be engaged by said stop means when said arm is moved downwardly by a rapidly moving ball on said runway, said stop means being operative to maintain said arm in position in the path of travel of said ball until substantially all kinetic energy in said ball has been dissipated.

15. A ball return check device for checking the momentum of balls rolling along a bowling alley ball return runway comprising a ball check arm disposed in position to be engaged by a rolling ball, a support for said arm, a shaft mounted in said support, a sleeve mounting said arm for rotation about said shaft, a ball engaging device on the free end of said arm, an elongated member mounted on said sleeve for movement with said arm, a counterweight on said member normally biasing said arm into ball-engaging position, a block slidably mounted on said member, spring means normally maintaining said block in position on said member, rollerson said block, inclined tracks on said support adapted to engage said rollers, said tracks being operative to move said rollers and said block upwardly on said arm as said ball-engaging is contacted by a ball on said runway, stop means for engaging said block in said raised position whereby said arm and ball-engaging device are maintained in position in the path of travel of said ball.

16. The invention as defined in claim 14 wherein said spring means is operative to disengage said elevated block from said stop means when said ball has dissipated substantially all of its kinetic energy to permit said ball to move said arm and ball-engaging device out of its path of travel, said block being returned to its normal position on said arm, being returned to its normal position on said drum for the next actuation of said ball check device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,857,162 Zuercher Oct. 21, 1958 

